Oilfield operations commonly use oilfield tubulars in such operations, for example, drill pipe, casing, workover tubing and production tubing, all in various diameter sizes. These different tubulars come in different lengths, but may typically each be 18-20 feet long. These various tubulars use various grades of metal, typically manufactured from steel or steel alloys, and will have different weights depending on some or all of these variables.
Although some of these tubulars, such as large diameter steel casing, may weigh several thousand pounds, and can not be easily moved around by hand, if at all, many such tubulars can be moved by rolling them along the ground level, or along the rig floor, or along a floor adjacent a pipe rack.
Rolling a tubular is, of course, easier than sliding the tubular, because rolling friction is less than sliding friction.
It should be appreciated that, although the invention contemplates the use of the invention for the rolling of oilfield tubulars, the invention also contemplates the rolling of other pipe, including but not being limited to pipe used for moving water, gas, chemicals, or the like, and also contemplates solid pipe having no central bore.